Blake Leyva

1) All Your Favorites:
a. Food: Steak
b. Movie: Bull Durham
c. Movie Character: Frank the Tank, Old School
d. Book (Author): Treasure Island
e. Book Character (what book?): Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby
f. Show: The West Wing
g. Type of Music: Reggae
h. Musical Artist or Band: Miles Davis
i. Album: Battle Studies, John Mayer
j. Song (Artist): Lay Me Down, The Dirty Heads
k. Artist: Andy Warhol
l. Painting: The Sistine Chapel Ceiling
m. City (foreign or domestic): Washington D.C.
n. State: California
o. Country: The United States of America
p. Place (anywhere): The Beach
q. Sport: Baseball
r. Activity: Cuddling, particularly being the little spoon
s. Hobby: Watching Movies
t. Board Game: Apples to Apples
u. Monopoly Piece: Car
v. Quote: “I am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” – Lou Gehrig

2) Why did you choose Santa Clara?
I chose Santa Clara because of the great academics, facilities, and opportunities.

3) What draws you to baseball?  What makes it appealing to you?  What is special about the college game?
I love that baseball is challenging. It is a thinking man’s game that you do not have to be 6’5’’ 240 to be great at. You can make up for size or lack of talent with pure hustle and determination.

4) How has the fall season gone for the team and you personally?
I think it has gone great for the team. I see guys going about their business better and I feel we have really grown. For me personally, it has been tough with my shoulder injury but I am still working everyday during physical therapy to get back to 100% so I can help the team this spring.

5) Who is your favorite guy on the team to compete with?  To compete against?  Why?
I think the infield core, as a group, is a great group to compete with and against. Being the best at every ground ball rep is a tough thing with how talented all of our infielders are but that is what I strive for.

6) Top 5 people, living or dead, to compete against?  In what?

  • Brooks Robinson – Diving for a ball at third competition
  • Nick Matranga (Best Friend from home) – Fifa World Cup, The Video Game
  • Dad – Everything
  • Barack Obama – Political Debate
  • My Brother – Movie Trivia

7) 5 people, living or dead, to have coffee with?

8) What would you do with a billion dollars?
I would buy the most ridiculous house on the Pacific Ocean. I would save a lot of it and only do the things I love for the rest of my life. I would travel the world. I would have box seats at Dodger Stadium, among other things.

9) #1 on your Bucket List?
Travel to every Continent.

10) What’s your ideal 1st date?  Who?  What?  Where?
My ideal first date is eating fancy food on a beach in swim trunks. After that, it would be to go to a great concert. Then I would finish the night with extremely expensive ice cream.

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